10.15.09

A late strike by substitute Mario Bolatti gave Argentina a 1-0 victory over 10-man Uruguay yesterday, punching the former’s ticket to the 2009 World Cup Finals in South Africa. Afterwards, the Guardian’s Marcela Mora y Araujo observed, “the Argentinian press has been more and more candid about its reservations…criticisms are dealt out more readily and severely, and the personal gets mixed up with the professional.” Never more so than in the case of shy, retiring Argentina manager Diego Maradona.

“You lot take it up the arse,” were Maradona’s words to the press immediately after the match. It was almost adding injury to the insult when he scanned the room and added, “if the ladies will pardon the expression”. Looking increasingly Botox-ridden, the angry yet victorious Argentina coach was somehow able to raise a nervous chuckle from those on the receiving end of the abuse.

He wanted to dedicate the triumph to the fans back home and especially those who bothered to cross into Uruguay, to his girls Dalma and Giannina, and to his squad, who worked like never before for the 1“0 result. “But certain people who have not supported me, and you know who you are, can keep sucking,” he added.

Grotesque and undignified, Maradona then grabbed his genitals with both hands, signalling some sort of manly insult to the TV cameras in the tunnel outside the dressing room.